Rishi Sunak, who served as the United Kingdom's Prime Minister from 2022 to 2024, has accepted senior advisory positions at Microsoft and artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, according to a report by The Guardian. These appointments were disclosed in letters from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), Parliament's ethics watchdog, which cited concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Acoba's communications highlighted the possibility that Mr. Sunak's previous access to privileged information could provide Microsoft with an "unfair advantage." This concern is underscored by Microsoft's existing contracts with several British government departments and a £2.5 billion deal unveiled by Mr. Sunak in 2023 for investment in new data centers and training within the U.K.
Regarding his role at Anthropic, Acoba noted a "reasonable concern that your appointment could be seen to offer unfair access and influence within the U.K. government." This assessment comes amid ongoing global discussions and lobbying efforts concerning the regulation of artificial intelligence, an area of significant policy debate during Mr. Sunak's premiership.
In response to Acoba's scrutiny, Mr. Sunak stated his intention to avoid advising on U.K. policy matters. He committed to focusing on high-level perspectives concerning macro-economic and geopolitical trends and explicitly pledged to refrain from lobbying activities. Furthermore, Mr. Sunak indicated that his salary from these roles would be directed to the Richmond Project, a charitable organization he co-founded with his wife.
These advisory roles are not Mr. Sunak's sole post-premiership engagements; he also serves as a senior advisor to investment bank Goldman Sachs and provides speechwriting services for firms including Bain Capital and Makena Capital. His appointments align with a broader trend of former British politicians transitioning into roles with major technology companies. Notable examples include Liam Booth-Smith, Mr. Sunak's former senior political adviser, who is also employed by Anthropic, and former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who served as Meta's president of global affairs until January 2025.
